Train coach hydrant



Nov. 13, 1962 J. c. HAYDEN 3,063,466

TRAIN COACH HYDRANT Filed June 14, 1960 2 sheets-sheet 1 64 Flg. 52

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TRAIN COACH HYDRANT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1960 James C. Hayden 1 N VEN TOR United States Patent O 3,063,466 TRAIN COACH HYDRANT James C. Hayden, Huntington, W. Va., assigner to Velma L. Hayden, Huntington, W. Va. Filed June 14, 1960, Ser. No. 36,003 11 Claims. (Cl. IS7- 307) This invention relates to water hydrants, and more particularly to water hydrants of the type normally used to provide a supply of sanitary water.

Some water hydrants, and particularly those utilized out of doors, are vulnerable to contamination because of freezing which could cause the hydrant standard to become cracked or otherwise ruptured, enabling surface drainage water and the like to enter the interior of the hydrant standard.

The present invention is specically adapted for use as a drain hydrant normally installed in exposed locations in railroad yards and along railroad right-of-ways where they are subject to .freezing weather ,during the winter season. Train hydrants are provided with upstanding hydrant standards through which the water being dispensed therefrom must pass and the outlet openings of these hydrant standards are of course located above the frost line. When the hydrant is turned olf, water remains standing in the upright standard below the outlet opening therein, and this water is subject to freezing which can cause the hydrant standard to rupture, thus exposing it to contamination from surface drainage.

Although the hydrant of the instant invention is specilically adapted for use as a train hydrant, it is to be understood that it may also be used in Warehouses or any other buildings and environments where there is danger vof freezing temperatures.

The main object of this invention is to provide a train hydrant having syphon means disposed within the upstanding hydrant standard therefor provided with an inlet in the lower portion of the standard below the frost line, an uppermost intermediate portion extending upwardly in the hydrant to a point above the ground and below the outlet opening of the hydrant standard, and an outlet extending through the lower end portion of the hydrant standard below the frost line. It is to be understood that the hydrant standard is specifically adapted to be embedded in a subsoil drain means'such as a French drain. By providing a syphon means within the interior of the hydrant standard with its inlet and its outlet disposed below the frost line and its intermediate uppermost portion disposed above the ground level and below the outlet opening, the syphon means will at all times tend to drain the interior of the hydrant standard to a point below the frost line whereby the possibility of water freezing within the hydrant standard will be completely eliminated. Further, by providing the syphon means with anhuppermost intermediate portion disposed above the ground level, any feedback of drainage water within the French bed into the hydrant standard is eliminated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a positive means of excluding the entrance of surface water into the hydrant standard.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a valve means for the train hydrant resiliently urged to the closed position whereby it will be diilicult for children and other irresponsible persons to turn the hydrant on and leave it while the water is running therefrom.

A still further object of this invention is to provide the hydrant standard with an air inlet valve in the hydrant standard above the outlet opening therein so as to exclude any possibility of water from the French drain being syphoned into the hydrant when the'outlet opening therefor is connected to one end of a conduit having its other ICC end positioned below the outlet opening of the syphon means.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a train hydrant which may be removably secured in a French drain of the type capped by a slab of cement or other similar material.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dead air space surrounding the lower end of the train hydrant embedded in the French drain whereby greater insulation is provided for the hydrant standard and the backflow of water through the syphon means having its outlet positioned above the lowermost end of the dead air space will be further prevented.

A `final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a train hydrant which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to operate and maintain so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and require a relatively small amount of maintenance.

, These., together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: v FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View of the hydrant shown embedded in a French drain, the French drain and surrounding portions of the ground being shown in vertical section;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the hydrant on somewhat of an enlarged scale;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view on somewhat of an enlarged scale taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3 3 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional View on somewhat of an enlarged scale taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the train hydrant, the lower part thereof and a portion of the operating handle being broken away;

FGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view on somewhat of an enlarged scale taken substantially upon a plane passing through the center of the .train hydrant, the upper portion of the train hydrant illustrated in FIGURE 4 being broken away; and

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of FIGURE 5. Referring now more specifically to the drawing, the numeral 10 generally designates the hydrant comprising the present invention which is shown in FIGUREI of the `drawing embedded in and extending upwardly from a French drain generally designated by the reference numeral 12. Although any desirable type of subsoil drain means can be utilized, the French drain y12 has proven to be the most convenient. A convenient size of French drain would be a drainage bed approximately four feet square and deep enough to extend below the frost line filled with gravel and sand or the like and topped with a concrete platform such as that indicated at 14. It is to be noted that the Water supply line 16 may conveniently enter the French drain below the frost line and then extend upwardly for connection with the hydrant 10.

With reference now in particular to FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings, it will -be noted that the hydrant 10 includes an upstanding hollow hydrant standard generally referred to by the reference numeral 18. The standard 1S is provided with a laterally directed outlet neck portion 20 whose outer end is open as at 22 and is externally threaded as at 24 for engagement with a water supply conduit of any desired type.

lThe hydrant standard is substantially cylindrical and aoeafiee the lower end thereof is externally threaded as at 26 and is .'t-hrea-dedly engaged in the internally threaded bore 28 of the reducer body 30 whose lower end is provided with an internally threaded bore 32 with which the adjacent end of the water supply pipe 16 is` threadedly engaged, thereby communicating the interior of the hydrant standard 18 with the interior of the water supply pipe 16.

The lower end of a valve sleeve, generally referred to by the reference numeral 34, is externally threaded as at 36 and is threadedly engaged in the upper end of the internally threaded bore 32. An annular valve seat 38 constructed of leather or other suitable material is disposed between the confronting ends of the valve sleeve 34 and the water supply pipe 16. It will be noted that the Water supply pipe 16 has substantially thicker walls than the sleeve 34 whereby the inner portions of the walls of the supply pipe 16 form an annular shoulder 40 projecting inwardly of the internal -surfaces of the valve sleeve 34.

The valve sleeve 34 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced inlet openings 42 above the upper end of the internally threaded bore 32. v

The hydrant is provided with an inlet valve means generally referred to by the reference numeral 44 including a cylindrical rod-like valve member 46 slidably disposed within the valve sleeve 34. kThe valve member 46 is iixedly' secured in any convenient manner to the lower end of an operating Yrod 48 whose upper end passes through a centrally disposed bore 50 formed through the header member 52 secured to the open upper end of 'the hydrant standard 18 by lmeans of fasteners 54. The end o-f the operating rod 48 passing through the bore Y50 is sealed with respect to thefinterior of the casing 18 by means of a packing gland assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 56.

The header member 52 has an upstanding support member 58 secured thereto in any convenient manner, whose upper end is apertured as at 6l) -andreceives therethrough a pivot pin 62 by which the handle 64 is pivoted intermediate its ends lto the support 58. One end of the handle 64 is pivoted to the upper end of the operating rod 48 Aby means of a pivot pin passing through the elongated longitudinally extending slot 68 formed in the handle 64. Thus, it may be readily seen that reciprocating vertical movement of the cylindrical lrod-like valve member 46 may be effected by manipulation of the handle 64. A stop collar 70 is rigidly secured to the operating rod 48 a spaced distance below the header member 52 by means of a setscrew 72 and a compression spring 74 is disposed between the confronting surfaces of the stop collar 70 and the header member 52 to norinally urge the operating -rod 48 downwardly in the casing 18 to seat the lower end of the rod-like valve` member 46 in frictional engagement with the annular seat of leather 38 disposed between the confronting surfaces of the sleeve 34 'and the water supply pipe 16. Y

A latch member 76 is pivotally secured at one end to the pivot pin 66 and may be pivoted to a position between the end of the handle 66 connected to the operating rod 48 and the confronting surfaces of fthe packingV gland Y assembly 56 to comprise Kan abutment maintaining the cylindrical rod-like valve member 46 in an open position, see FIGURE 4.

The rod-like cylindrical Valve member 46 extends a spaced distance below the inlet openings 42 formedr in the sleeve 34 when in the closed position, and the upper end thereof is spaced immediately below the inlet opening 78 of the syphon means, generally referred lto ,by the reference numeral 80, which comprise'sa generally U- shaped sectional tubing having a first section 82V and a' 'second' section'84. The V`first section 82 has one end iixedly secured in vsealing engagement within the inlet opening 78 formed in the sleeve 34 above the valve member 46, see FIGURE 5, and theother end isV coupled with one end ofthe second section 84 by means ofaY union as sembly 86. The other end of the second section 85 is iixedly secured within the outlet opening 88 formed in the reducer 30. yIt 4will be noted that the upper end of the sleeve 34 above the valve member 46 when the latter is in the closed position is in communication with the interior olf the standard 18. The iirst section 82 of the syphon means 80 extends upwardly in the casing 18 to a point spaced above the concrete slab 14 which is disposed at substantially ground level but curved downwardly at a point below the outlet neck 20.

The upper end of the standard 18 is provided with an air inlet valve assembly` generally referred to by the reference numeral 90 which includes yan inlet opening 92 controlled by a spring-urged check valver 94.

The hydrant 10 is provided with a hollow upright oasing, generally referred to by the reference numeral 96, including a cylindrical body Iportion 98 and a sectional casing cap assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral A100. The casing 96 receives and encircles the lower portion of the standard '18 disposed below ground level and extends downwardly below the inlet openings 42 and below the ou-tlet opening 88, see FIGURE 5.

The casing 96 extendsV upwardly about the standard 18 above ground level to ya point spaced thereabove, and its upper end is sealed with respect to the outer surfaces of :the standard 18 by means of the sectional casing cap assembly, generally Vreferred to by the reference numeral 100. Mounting and spacing bolts 102 are threadedly engaged within bores 104 formed in the casing 96 and have their innermost ends in frictional engagement with .the standard 1-8. Although sealing means have not been shown with respect to the casing cap assembly 100, it is to be understood that any convenient sealing material may be utilized where needed in order to maintain a dead yair space between the 'casing 96 and the standard 18. The casing cap assembly 100 maybe of any conventional design such as that shown in FIGURE 3 of lthe drawings comprising two -half sections 106 secured together by means of suitable fasteners 108.

In operation, `the hydrant 10 is secured within the French drain with its casing 96 embedded in and extending through the concrete slab 14 to a point below the frost line of the locality in which the hydrant 10 is being used. The water supply pipe 16 is connected to the reducer 30 as hereinbefore set forth and thereafter the hydrant 10 may be utilized to supply water through the neck 20. To open the valve member 46, the free end of the handle 64 Yis swung downwardly, whereupon the 'Y valve member 46 will move upwardly in the vsleeve 34 to cover the inlet opening 78 of the syphon means 80 before uncovering the inlet openings 42 formed in the sleeve 34. As the valve member 46 uncovers the inlet openings 42, water rushes vthrough the openings 42 vand fills the ycasing 18, whereupon the water will ow through the outlet opening 22. WhenY the desired amount of water has been dispensed, the handle 64 may be allowed to return to a closed, position by means of compression spring 74,

K whereupon the valveY member 46 will iirst cover the inlet openings 42 and thereafter uncover the inlet opening 78 of the syphon means 80. Inasmuch as the water level within the standard y18 is substantially at the level of the neckY 20, the water contained within the standard 18 will be forced upwardly through the first section 82 of the syphon means by thepressure of the head of water disposed above the uppermost portion of the syphon means 80, whereupon the water contained within the standard 18 will be syphoned therefrom to the level of the inlet opening 78 which is disposed below the frost line. Therefore, immediately after each operation of the hydrant 10, the interior thereof disposed above the frost line is cornpletely drained vof water, thereby eliminating any possibility of water entrapped within the hydrant `10 becoming frozen, which freezing of water could possibly rupture the standard 18 and enable surface water or other means of contamination to enter the hydrant 10..

It will be noted that the lower edges of the casing 96 extend below the outlet opening 88 of the syphon means 80 whereby it will be assured that water being syphoned from the standard 18 will not be blocked by foreign material closing the outlet opening 88.

The syphon means 80 is constructed of -iirst and second sections removably secured together whereby removal of the syphon means 80 is greatly facilitated.

With attention now directed more particularly to FIG- URES 1 and 5 of the drawings, it will be noted that while the casing 96 is embedded within the French drain and the concrete slab 14, the standard 18 may be readily removed therefrom by loosening the casing cap 100 and backing olf on the screws 102 and digging down under the slab 14 through the subsoil draining means to disconnect the supply pipe 16 from the reducer 30. Therefore, the operational parts of the casing may be readily removed from their fxedly secured position within the French bed if it is desired to perform maintenance thereon.

In case the hydrant 10 is elevated in position relative to the point at which it is desired lto deliver water and a conduit is secured to the neck and extends to the point at which the water is to be delivered, the standard 18 is provided with the air inlet valve assembly 90 in order to insure that should the valve member 46 be moved to the closed position while the conduit is connected to the neck 20, the lower level of the point at which the water is being delivered will not tend to syphon water from the French drain backward through the syphon means 80.

In addition to providing a dead air space about the lower portion of the standard 18, the casing 96 also insures that surface water will not be allowed to contact the outside surfaces of the standard 18 and also that the lower end of the standard 18 will be more fully insulated against the cold by means of the dead air space positioned therearound.

Although the neck portion 20 has been illustrated and described as being provided with threads as at 24, it is to be understood that the outer end of the neck portion 2t) may also be provided with a quick change coupling element if desired adapted for engagement with an associated quick change coupling element on the hose or conduit (not shown) to be used for transporting water from the hydrant 10 to the point of use.

Further, as can be seen in FIGURES l, 2 and 4 of the drawings, the hydrant 16 may be provided with a swinging closure assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 110 for enclosing the outer end portion of the neck portion 20.

The closure assembly 110 includes an L-slgaped mounting bracket generally referred to by the reference numeral 112 whose horizontal leg 1'14 is secured to the header member 52 by -means of the two fasteners 54 adjacent the neck portion 20. One arm 116 of a hinge assembly, generally designated by the reference numeral 118, is also secured to the hydrant 10 by means of the same two fasteners 54 in overlying relation to the horizontal leg 114 of the L-shaped bracket 112. The vertical leg 120 of the bracket 112 is provided with an opening 122 which receives therethrough the outer end portion of the neck portion 20. A suitable sectional packing gland assembly, generally designated by the reference numeral 124, may be secured about the opening 122 and the portion of the neck 20 extending through the opening to prevent contamination of the outer end of the neck portion 20.

The top wall 126 of a closure box, generally referred to by the reference numeral 128, is secured to the free arm of the hinge 1f18 whereby the closure box 128 is mounted for pivotal movement between the positions indicated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings depicted by solid lines and phantom lines. The side of the box 128 adjacent the neck 20 is open and the vertical leg 120 of the L-'shaped bracket 112 comprises a closure therefor when the box 128 is pivoted to the closed position as indicated by the solid lines. A pivoted ring assembly 1.32 is carried by the front Wall `134 of the box 128 for facilitating the pivoting of the box 128 from a closed position to an open position in order that a conduit may be operatively connected to the threaded end of the neck 20. When the hydrant 10 is not in use, the box 128 is pivoted to the closed position, thereby protecting the threaded outer end of the neck 20 from contamination by completely enclosing the outer end of the neck portion 20. Thus, it will be seen that the hydrant 10 is substantially one hundred percent sanitary inasmuch as it is impossible for surface water to drain or syphon back into the hydrant 10, and the outlet opening 22 of the neck portion 20 can be completely enclosed when the hydrant is not in use.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, itis not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents maybe resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l. A traincoach hydrant comprising a hollow upstanding hydrant standard, water inlet means at the lower end of said standard adapted to be connected to a source of water supply, an outlet opening in the upper end portion of said standard, valve means in said standard controlling the ow through said inlet means, said standard having its lower end portion embedded in a subsoil drain means below the frost line with its upper end portion projecting above the surface of the ground, and syphon passage means in said hydrant standard, said syphon passage means having its inlet end in the lower end portion of said standard below said frost line, an uppermost intermediate portion extending upwardly in said standard to a point above ground level and below said outlet opening, and an outlet end opening through said lower end portion of said standard below said frost line, said valve means including means for closing the inlet of said syphon passage means upon opening of said valve means and for opening said syphon passage means inlet upon closing of said valve means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said syphon passage means is continuously free of restrictions to the flow of lluid therethrough.

3. The combination of claim l wherein said outlet opening is adapted to have one end of a conduit secured thereto, said hydrant standard including an air inlet valve for selectively communicating the interior of said standard with the ambient atmosphere.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said air inlet valve is disposed vertically above said outlet opening.

5. rl'he combination of claim l including means resiliently urging said valve means toward a closed position.

6. The combination of claim 5 including means on said valve means for releasably engaging said standard and retaining said valve means in an open position.

7. The combination of claim 1 including a hollow upright hydrant casing receiving and encircling the lower end portion of said hydrant standard and adapted to project upwardly to a point above ground level, means removably securing said hydrant within said casing, said casing adapted to be embedded in a French drain of the type topped by a cover slab of cementitious material.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said securing means includes means for sealing the upper end portion of said casing relative to the adjacent surfaces of said hydrant whereby a trapped air space is formed in said casing between its internal surfaces and the exterior surfaces of said hydrant standard, said syphon outlet positioned above the lowermost end of said trapped air space.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein the outlet end of said syphog'passage means is sealed relative to the syphon passage means inlet after losing of said `valve in ternal sqrfaces of said standard. means,V

LO. AA I'ljie ombination'of claim 1 including means -resily. Y iently urging said Vvalve means .toward a closed position, Y References Cited 111 the file 0f thlS Pamt means fer adjusting the effective thrust of Saidnrging 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS means.

11, The combination of claim 1 wherein said means lganfz for closing kSaid Syphen passage .means inlet upon opening 1 322014 Hc an 'f'" Nar' ,18' 1919 o f said valve means will yclose the syphon means inlet be- P- anna ov' e fOre Opening Of said valve means and will open said lo 2,605,781 Schmid et al TI Aug 5, v1.952 

